Work With What You've Got: Last Minute Wedding Guest

I have "lovingly" dubbed this chronological point in my life my transitional twenties. "What does the transitional twenties entail?," you might ask. Let me give you the breakdown: recent college graduate, being significantly underpaid and/or under appreciated at an entry level job if you can get one, being in debt; whether it's credit cards, student loans, or both, in/applying to/graduating from grad school, buying a house, moving out of your house (if you haven't already), moving back home with mom and dad (because you can't afford to be on your own), moving forward in significant personal relationships if applicable (i.e.: getting engaged, getting married) being part of other people moving forward in significant personal relationships (i.e.: bridesmaid, wedding guest) Although none of these life events are exclusive to one's twenties it seems that this definitely the inception of when the proverbial *&^% hits the fan.

While many of these things apply to me the one that keeps popping up recently has been: being part of other people moving forward in significant personal relationships (i.e.: bridesmaid, wedding guest) specifically as the wedding guest. While being part of people's special day is all good it is not really when you only have a week or two notice before you have to show up and on top of that it's not someone you are particularly close to (i.e: BF's co-worker) What is an indebted underpaid/under appreciated recent college grad working an entry level job with aspirations of going to grad school to do? Well, I'll tell you what I did... I dug in my closets (and mom's jewelry box) and came up with something! The only monies spent (by mom) were for a voluntary mani/pedi because... What do you think?